Are the reports of 20 million a ruse?

I was thinking about this. The owners want to be successful, and Rodgers must have told them what his calculations are in what is going to make a top 4 side. I think that it might have been leaked deliberately about this 20 million + sales. I think we will be spending a lot more. The accounts that have been published - as Colin correctly points out - do not tell the whole financial picture. I believe they are going to give him serious backing in the summer. I think we will be top 4 next season, and the season after that we will be ready to mount a serious challenge for the title. Yes I want it sooner, but if we get in the CL next year I will be ecstatic. Or am I talking out of my unrealistic #$%$ as usual?

Loki mate, just like you and everyone else, I read that, and it was simply something stated in one of the silly papers like the Star, and ironically had us spending all 20M (of that so called amount) on one player, maybe Ericksen of Ajax or that ridiculously stupid rumor of Coentrao for 18M. The most expensive left back in world history who cost Madrid 28M, coming to Liverpool for 18M to back up Enrique.. Nuff said..

Without working in the FSG offices, and not being privvy to any informataion, at least not until we hit the summer, that is absolutely a load of nonsense, and every time the papers talk about us, they state "modest fee" of some lowly nominal amount.

Just look at this year when they said Rodgers would only get like 25M. He spent 10M on Borini, 15M on Allen, 12M on Sturridge, 3M on Assaidi, 1M on Yesil, 8M on Coutinho, and the loan for Nuri Sahin probably cost another 2-3M. He also wanted Ince for 6-8M, and Dempsey could have been done for 6-7M. All those and maybe 1-2 I'm not thinking of, or youth, come to almost 60M, not to mention who he was allowed to re-sign to lucrative new deals, Suarez, Agger, Skrtel, Lucas, Sterling, Suso and others.

So, I'll go down on record as saying that is absolutely a pile of rubbish, and while I'd expect Sofa, and some others to take that number and run with it, complaining until the kick of the ball for the 13/14 season. We will spend far more than 20M, and it won't just be dependent on selling players. Rodgers has stated clearly he wants 4-5 and quality, not quantity and has the full backing. Now for some those 4-5 should be Cavani, Falcao,Damaio and anyone on Barca and Madrid, but in real life, they will be of a good quality, that fit his system, while providing new starters, depth, competition and experience along with "quality". I'm not ready to throw out a number yet until we get closer and I can dig up some things over here, but 50-60M wouldn't shock me, and while that will be less than whatever City, Chelsea, Utd and perhaps even Arsenal do, it is still decent amount, presuming everyone/thing stays intact, aside from those who need moving..

For those obsessed with what those teams spend, also keep in mind the amount of players they HAVE to sell because of WAGES to be in line with FFP. City still have to sell Wayne Bridge, Roque Santa Cruz, then probably wastes in Sinclair, Maicon, Garcia, Lescott, Kolarov, Dzeko (god knows why), and the same for Chelsea with Torres, Benayoun, Romeu, Malouda (yes he's there), Ferreira, Hilario and possibly Cech to make room for Thibault on loan at Atletico, and to bring back Lukaku as well.

We're going to be in a position of buying, and adding, with only a little bit of selling, and we all know who those players are, but of them all, only Carroll represents anything monumental that would count towards re-investment, and 15-18M would be a miracle.

I'lll hold my hand up here. I saw it in the media and put it up on here and quite honestly I should have rubbished it there and then. I'd be very disappointed if our transfer budget is still being leaked like it was when H&G were around. It puts you on the back foot from day one.

We know the club is sorting its finances out so ther will be some pain there but on the other side there's the new PL deal, sponsorhips and other stuff. A lack of European football might bite though.

The question you have to ask when these sort of stories come out is what is the source? What rational would the club have to advertise ahead of time what its budget is? That makes no sense at all, so for me the source is no doubt as solid as the work done to tell the world Qatar is going to host a club competition that will make the CL look like a Sunday morning footie league.

Bottom line is who knows other than Mr. Henry and a few others what we'll actually spend. I'd not hold your breath and expect a huge outlay, but to be honest I don't think we're that far away from a squad capable of competing for a top 4 slot, which is the current goal. I'd expect every penny raised from sales, a healthy sum based on the revenues of the club (based on last couple windows 20-30M,) plus maybe a modest injection of cash from Boston if that comes short of what the gaffer says is required to get us punching at the right level.

With regards to this, and the numbers, along with how Rodgers has conducted his business, while he's never admitted to any names, even though we all knew Allen, Sturridge and then Coutinho as the hours closed, he's never hidden the fact that he's in routine dialogue with the owners, that they're providing him funds, backing him and as far as saying he wants another 4-5 players. He said he wants quality, not quantity.

We all have our own wish lists, and names we'd love to see, but since we do need about 4-5 new players, plus maybe another 1-2 on the cheap for depth, or to replace anyone who goes, it's unlikely there will be any, if more than one player who costs more than 20M-ish.. unless a deal is just too good to turn down. You'd have to figure based on what he did with the 20M on Sturridge and Coutinho, along with the interest in Ince, we can see what he wants in that area, and what he can probably find for 10-15. So, my guess, and let's figure based off these guys, we come close to 40-50M.. not including sales. You could say 4 players in for 10M a piece, or 3 players for 15M, 1 for 5M.. I guess it won't really matter so long as he gets the player he wants that fits a need, and adds the desired quality and competition.

Let's not forget, a whole summer of training and competition for Sterling and Suso, will see them as much more prominent figures next season, and while he's in everyone's poor graces, a healthy summer of hard work could help Borini redeem himself. Then who knows what's possible.. maybe we get 3 young but experienced players of a high quality and 1 superstar, and we'll be in great shape. Bottom line is, the papers will say whatever gets a rise, but 20M is laughable, and I'll bet it's closer to double that.. I think we need to focus on how the existing club/players finish the season because that could impact alot as well..